Emma Theriot; Newspaper Article, Cameron Parish Louisiana
Submitted by Kathy Tell
Source: Cameron Pilot, Feb. 10, 1972
Submitted Jan 2006
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HAPPY 95 BIRTHDAY MRS. EMMA THERIOT
Mrs. Emma Theriot was born on Feb. 10, 1877 in the Grand Chenier area. When Emma was a young lady she
married William F. Harper, also know as “Nip”. They moved into a newly built house which still stands
today.
The original house was built of heavy cypress lumber brought down by boat from Lake Charles. It was built
by Adolph Brouchet, a German carpenter, who also served as Justice of Peace for many years. He is
remembered as “Old Judge Brouchet” and a fine old gentleman.
To Emma and William were born two little girls, Bessie and Gertie. William died when the children were two
and four years old. In a few years, Emma and Hubert Theriot were married. Mr. Theriot was the Cameron
Parish jailer and a Deputy Sheriff for many years. In his spare time he was the only barber in Leesburg,
charging ten cents for a shave and twenty-five cents for a haircut. To this marriage a daughter was born.
The Theriot home was the office of the first Cameron newspaper, then also called the “Cameron Parish
Pilot.” It also housed the switchboard for the first telephone service in Cameron. This was in 1932 and
for six years Emma was the sole operator. Judge Brouchet started the registering of births, and after he
died, during the years when Dr. S. O. Carter was the only doctor in the area, Emma became the keeper of
the record book for all births and deaths. She continued the service until the Health Office was
established in 1950.
During the years Hubert was jailer, Emma cooked and prepared meals for the prisoners. Also, during court
sessions when crowds came from Grand Chenier, Creole, Johnson Bayou and Lake Charles, Emma cooked.